A bioreactor is provided herein. The bioreactor includes a vessel having a wall at least partially defining an interior compartment for receiving fluid, at least one port, and at least one cap configured to removably engage with the at least one port, the at least one cap comprising a filter material. A cell culture method is also provided herein which includes adding cells and cell growth medium to a vessel of a bioreactor and adding microcarriers to the vessel to form substantially confluent cells on the microcarriers. The cell culture method further includes washing the confluent cells, harvesting the confluent cells to form a solution containing the cells, and removing the solution containing the cells from the vessel by flowing the solution through a filter material in a cap removably engaged with at least one port of the bioreactor.

Materials (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems equipment, and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, using an array of vaults.

Spent stillage remaining after the fermentation of a feedstock for ethanol production may be processed to recover, use, and/or recycle the constituent components of the stillage. Stillage may be mixed, heated, and held at a desired temperature for a period of time. The stillage may then be cooled and treated with an enzyme. The enzymatically treated stillage may be emulsified with oil and water, and then permitted to settle into discrete layers. Individual layers may then be processed.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. Systems, methods and equipment are described for upgrading process streams using electrodialysis or electrodialysis reversal.

A filtration device includes a first channel member, a second channel member, and a filter. The first channel member has a recess recessed inward from an outer wall surface. A groove is formed is the recess and has an opening in a recessed surface of the recess. First and second channels, each defined by a through-hole, are formed in the first channel member and are connected to the groove. A first connection part connects the groove with the first channel. The second channel member has a projection that detachably mates with the recess. The second channel member includes a discharge channel that has an opening in a projecting surface of the projection, the opening being located over the groove. The filter is disposed along the groove, and positioned at the opening of the discharge channel. When the first and second channel members are placed in a operative relationship, a third channel is formed by the projecting surface of the projection and the opening of the groove. The third channel is connected to the first channel via the first connection part. The third channel at which the filter is positioned has a smaller cross-sectional area than the first channel.

A composition comprising a plurality of cell aggregates for use in the production of engineered organotypic tissue by organ printing. A method of making a plurality of cell aggregates comprises centrifuging a cell suspension to form a pellet, extruding the pellet through an orifice, and cutting the extruded pellet into pieces. Apparatus for making cell aggregates comprises an extrusion system and a cutting system. In a method of organ printing, a plurality of cell aggregates are embedded in a polymeric or gel matrix and allowed to fuse to form a desired three-dimensional tissue structure. An intermediate product comprises at least one layer of matrix and a plurality of cell aggregates embedded therein in a predetermined pattern. Modeling methods predict the structural evolution of fusing cell aggregates for combinations of cell type, matrix, and embedding patterns to enable selection of organ printing processes parameters for use in producing an engineered tissue having a desired three-dimensional structure.

A hydraulic cell stretching device comprising a source of variable pressured hydraulic fluid hydraulically coupled to a flexing chamber. The flexing chamber has at least one cell well. The cell well has a membrane subjected to the variable pressured hydraulic fluid.

Materials, such as biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. Conveying systems, such as flowing gas conveying systems and such as closed-loop flowing gas conveying systems are described.

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, novel systems, methods and equipment for conveying and/or cooling treated biomass are described.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, in two or more vaults that can share a common wall.